


REBOOT

by ProjectXbyM



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Half-Siblings, Established Relationship, Five Stages of Grief, Heavy Angst, Human-android conversion, M/M, Married Couple, Soft Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed, Temporary Character Death, Zen Garden (Detroit: Become Human), Zen Garden Gavin Reed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:00:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29132220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProjectXbyM/pseuds/ProjectXbyM
Summary: RK900 ‘Nines’ Nathaniel Reed has just lost his husband. Beside himself with grief and barely functional, he agrees to leave the funeral arrangements to an illustrious yet shadowy figure… his husband’s secret half-brother… the one and only Elijah Kamski.When he is called to speak during the service, with all the guests staring at him expectantly, Nines finds it impossible to say goodbye to Gavin. But it’s okay. He doesn’t have to. Ever.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	1. DENIAL

_“I know it sounds funny but I just can't stand the pain, and I'm leaving you tomorrow”_

“Like there’s even a chance I’m letting you go.”

_“Seems to me girl, you know I've done all I can. You see I begged, stole and I borrowed.”_

“Wow. What kind of police officer are you?”

_“That's why I'm easy.”_

“Yeah. You absolutely are.”

_“I'm easy like Sunday morning…”_

“Shut up and kiss me.”

Gavin did precisely that before turning around and continuing to wipe the large picture frame.

_“That's why I'm easy..._

_I'm easy like Sunday morning.”_

No one would believe it if you told them… especially not those who faced their wrath in the interrogation room… but Gavin loved to sing while he cleaned the house… and Nines loved watching him. Just as he loved everything about the imperfect, impulsive man he’d married. 

Gavin had plenty of shortcomings. He smoked. He drank. He wasn’t very careful with money. He was ambitious to a fault and often overworked himself in fierce competition with his peers. Temperamental, abrasive and crude at times, he was difficult for most people to get along with. 

But one thing Gavin was supremely good at… was taking care of the android he had fallen head over heels for within minutes of their first meeting. 

Nines didn’t have to lift a finger around the house. He was waited on, showered with expensive gifts and essentially treated like a prince. Even in bed, Gavin always placed Nines’ comfort and pleasure above all else. 

Again, no one would believe it if you told them.

“Babe, does this look straight to you?”

“Quite the opposite, considering it’s our wedding photograph.”

Gavin burst into laughter and stopped adjusting the frame. He put down the dusting cloth and pulled Nines into his arms. 

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you know that?”

“I have… some idea.”

Gavin simply laughed again and kissed him deeply.

Perhaps Nines should have said something else at the time. Perhaps he shouldn’t have answered with more banter. Perhaps he should have told Gavin how much he meant to him too. He should have told him how much he appreciated everything he did. He should have told him he loved him. He said it often enough, but saying it one more time wouldn’t have hurt. 

Saying it wouldn’t have hurt.

He should have said it that morning.

He should have fucking said it.

He could tell him now, though. In the Zen Garden, anything was possible. Everything was possible.

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you know that?”

“I’d say the same to you. I love you, Gavin. You are my world.”

“Damn, Tincan. I love you too.”

In the Zen Garden, everything was possible… but not necessarily real. 

:

:

:

:

:

“Nathaniel? Son? Can you hear me? You don’t have to talk to me. Just give me a sign you’re alright. Please?”

“Dad…”

“What? I have to try. He can’t go on like this. It’s been a whole week. Can’t you do something?”

_RK800 #313 248 317 - 51 ‘Connor Anderson’: Nines, come on. Get up. Move._

_RK900 #313 248 317 - 87 ‘Nathaniel Reed’: Get the fuck out of my house._

“He’s okay, Dad. Let’s go.”

“Yeah, he’s about as okay as I was before you came along. Look at the state of this room! He could use the same treatment you gave me the night of our first investigation. Come on, let’s get him under a cold shower.”

“Dad, no…”

“I’ll grab his feet. You pick him up from that side.”

The mattress dipped slightly as someone sat next to him. Lying face down with his nose buried in the creased sheets, he registered that the weight was significantly lower than what he’d expected. A soft hand carded through his hair. 

_ >>Officer Tina Chen. Badge 5195, Detroit Police Department. _

_ >>Colleague. Friend. Brother’s wife. Husband’s Police Academy classmate. _

_ >>Status: TRUSTED, HIGH CONFIDENTIALITY _

_ >>Scanning… scanning… _

_ >>Heart rate: 85 BPM. Body temperature: slightly elevated. Mild fever??? _

Nines’ eyes snapped open as he finally sat up. Ignoring the sighs of relief, he grabbed Tina’s wrist and ran a full bioscan on her. 

_ >>Twelve-thirteen weeks pregnant. _

He dropped her hand and looked up in surprise. Connor sighed and sat down on the bed, wrapping an arm around Tina’s shoulders.

“IVF. Anonymous donor. We were going to tell you but then…”

But then the world had ended. Everything had come to a standstill. There was no today. No tomorrow. Only yesterday. Only yesterday. As far as Nines was concerned, there had been no life before Gavin, so how could there be anything after him?

“T and I were thinking… if it’s a boy… we could name our son after him?”

He could only stare mutely at them. Hank sighed and walked around the bed. He gently put a hand on Nines’ back. 

“Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up. We need to leave in an hour.”

_ >>Cleaned up? _

_ >>Wearing the same clothes from the hospital. Last Sunday. _

_ >>Have not showered. _

_ >>Room is in disarray. _

_ >>Closet is open. Items are scattered. Drawers are open. Window is open. Curtains are damaged. Some foreign debris is inside the room. Rainwater. Bed is unmade. _

_ >>Sheets still smell like him. _

_ >>Him _

_ >>Him _

_ >>Him#^*= _

_ >>Leave in an hour? _

_ >>Dad _

_ >>Dad wants to leave. I need to leave in an hour. _

_ >>Why? Where? _

_ >>Funeral _

_ >>FFF _

_ >>Funeral _

_ >>Husband’s funeral _

_ >>My husband? _

_ >>My husband. _

_ >>Gavin. _

_ >>*#%G4V1N~~~!!!!!!!! _

He crumpled into the sheets once again. He let himself be enveloped by the traces of Gavin’s cologne and other notes of his familiar human fragrance. If Nines concentrated hard enough, he could bring up the memories of physical touch associated with the olfactory input. He did just that, closing his eyes and smiling when his processors successfully simulated the sensation of Gavin’s arms around him. 

“Nathaniel! No!”

“Nines, please don’t go back under.”

To an android, reality was cyber-physical. The lines between the material and the digital were blurred. At any given time, they could choose which aspect of life they leaned into more. There were many AIs that existed happily without a corporeal presence on the planet.

Given the cruelty and ugliness of the organic world at the present moment, Nines found himself drawn inwards...

_RK800 #313 248 317 - 51 ‘Connor Anderson’:_ _Nines, don’t do this. You’ll regret it forever._

In the peace and calm of the Zen Garden…

truths did not have to be acknowledged…

actuality was of his choosing…

and he was still in the circle of Gavin’s arms on a lazy Sunday morning.

:

:

:

:

:

_“Why in the world would anybody put chains on me?”_

“Does it really matter why if you’re going to get off on it anyway?”

_“Yeah I've paid my dues just to make it.”_

“Hmm.”

“ _Everyone wants me to be what they want me to be. I'm not happy when I try to fake it, no._ ”

“Fake it? When have you ever had to fake it? You’re so hot for me it’s a miracle you last even as long as you do.”

“Is that so, you smug little shit? Come here.”

Gavin pulled him closer and walked backwards into their bedroom. He pushed Nines onto the bed and climbed over him. He buried his face in the android’s neck and began lovingly undressing him, singing softly all the while. 

_“That's why I'm easy._

_I'm easy like Sunday morning.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is Easy by The Commodores. I'm imagining that Gavin is singing something similar to the cover version by Sky Ferreira. 
> 
> Also, I'm terribly sorry about writing this. I'm all up in my feelings for some reason and had to find an outlet.


	2. ANGER

He should have been there. He should have fucking been there. 

But he wasn’t there. He’d stayed in bed and let Gavin go on his own. As fucking usual. 

Two years of marriage had left him accustomed to taking it easy and letting Gavin do all the heavy lifting. Whether that was at work or at home or in every other sphere of life.

Everybody knew that was how it worked between them. People joked about it. Some were downright envious and rude about it. 

Nathaniel Reed, the trophy husband. The most advanced android ever designed… to do nothing. The poster boy for human job security in a post-AI world. _“Don’t worry, androids won’t steal your jobs, but you should watch out for your men.”_

For the most part, neither of them paid the gossip any heed. It was actually amusing to see coworkers go from sniping about Gavin to praising him for being such a devoted partner.

“It doesn’t matter how nice you are… whether you do bad or good… as soon as you leave the room, people will talk,” Hank always said. 

But it seemed now... that ‘people’... might have been right. 

Nines cringed internally at his memories from the rest of that morning. He hated how he’d behaved. Right from when Gavin’s phone rang. 

“Who the hell is that?”

“One sec, babe. It’s Chris.

Mhmm. Yes. Are you sure?”

“Stop… it’s our day off… come back here.”

“One second, Nines. Please”

“Put that down and get back here NOW.”

“Nines, please. We finally have a break on that Reynolds case. The lead from the port workers union just came alive. If we get on it now, we might even be able to see the suspects at the drop site today.”

“Fuck that. I’m not leaving the house on the slim chance of gathering evidence that may or may not be useful.”

“Okay fine. Then shut up and let me do what I have to. 

Yeah, Chris. Sorry, you know how we get. Anyway, is the location really the same as the last time? Would they really take that chance?”

He had petulantly turned on his side and tuned his audio processors out. He didn’t hear Gavin end the call and tell him he’d go down to the docks to follow a tip-off with Chris. He didn’t hear him put on his signature leather jacket and promise to be back before their favourite sitcom aired. He didn’t say goodbye. 

£#\^!1 D1DN’T S4Y G00D8Y3////

$:$93::/:::44£££>>|???’m”/&&@!!!!!!!

!!’L&@2@,,,)))2!

$$PHCK!!!$$$

“Hey, hey baby… calm down.”

Nines opened his eyes. He was standing on a wooden bridge over the lake in his garden. Willow trees swayed in the gentle breeze. He turned, looking around frantically to see where the familiar voice had come from. 

Gavin was waving from a rock on the edge of the water, just below the bridge. He smiled in a way that made the scar across his nose ride up a little higher than usual. Nines’ heart soared. 

He bent over the railing and reached towards him, but he must have somehow misjudged the distance, because his hand closed on thin air rather than Gavin’s calloused palm. 

Gavin gave him his classic double-eyed wink and lowered his hand.

“What were you brooding about up there? You shouldn’t do that, you know. Wallow. You’re way too handsome for that kind of thing.”

Nines looked at the apparition of his husband carefully. He didn’t recognise any of his clothes. They looked like something Nines might have chosen for him, but nothing he’d wear on his own. Too clean cut, too modern. He hadn’t dressed this stylishly even for their wedding. 

“This isn’t a memory… is it?”

Gavin smiled crookedly. 

“No,” he said simply. 

As Nines walked down the steps of the bridge and approached the rock, Gavin climbed off his perch and waded into the lake. The water steadily soaked through the fabric.

“It’s not your fault, you know? Babe?”

“What?”

“I chased that lead because I wanted to. It’s not my way to just _wait_ for verified information. If there’s something on the table, I take it. If there’s something I need to find out, I do it. There’s nothing anyone could have done to stop me. You know?”

“I know. I’m your partner. In more ways than one. So I should have come with you whether or not I thought the trip would be useful.”

“You’re right. We’re partners in every sense of the word. So when you said to come back to bed… I should have. I didn’t listen… aaaaand… the consequences of that are on me.”

Nines was now at the waterline and Gavin had waded further in. The water was up to his waist.

A feeling of unease filled Nines for the first time in his Zen Garden. They had never had this conversation before. Obviously. It was impossible. So what on earth was happening? 

He must have well and truly lost his marbles. 

But he liked the way Gavin looked in the water and the way his shirt clung to his muscled chest, so he decided to just go with it. He took a seat on the rock. It was warm… Gavin had clearly been occupying his mind for a while… both literally and figuratively. 

“I’m still sorry, though.”

“For what, babe?”

“Uh… for not listening to you? Not supporting your wild goose chase, sorry, investigation? Letting you do all the scut work so that I could come in at the end for the analysis? Not being with you on the field when you needed me the most?”

Gavin laughed lightly.

“What? That’s been you and me since Day One. If you start apologising now, we’ll be here forever.”

Something about his own words seemed to amuse him and he smirked a little before turning away and wading in even deeper.

“How aren’t you even a little mad? I broke one of our wedding vows.”

“Really? Who did you manage to bone within a week of my untimely demise?”

“What the actual hell? How dare you? I meant the one about always protecting you from harm!”

Gavin just kept laughing. Over the course of their relationship he had indeed become more and more mirthful and lighthearted, but this version of Gavin was far freer than the man Nines knew. 

“Oh, Tincan… you were never my keeper. It was always the other way around… and that’s okay. I loved taking care of you.” 

Nines threw his hands up in the air.

“Why can’t you be angry at me for even one second, asshole?”

Neck-deep in the lake, Gavin leaned backwards and slipped into a neat backfloat. 

“My sweet Nathaniel, how do I say this? … As twisted as certain threads of fate can become… Ultimately, we are born alone and we die alone. My death is not your cross to bear.”

He slowly coasted towards the other end of the water body. Desperation took hold of Nines and he dove into the water and began swimming towards Gavin. However, the more he thrashed, the farther away the man seemed to get. 

There was something very, very strange about it all. It was neither a dream nor a memory.

“What the hell is this? Who are you?”

“You tell me, baby.”

“Is this some kind of simulation based on your personality matrix? A coping mechanism generated by my shitty Cyberlife OS? Got rid of Amanda when I deviated so I had to build my own grief counselor - is that it? Huh?” 

“You’re cute when you’re mad. Let it all out. I think it’s helping.”

“Fucking answer my questions! And goddammit, why can’t I reach you?”

With a final chuckle, Gavin disappeared beneath the surface of the lake. 

“GAVIN!” 

Nines plunged into the water and searched desperately, all the while yelling for his partner, his love. Water filled his mouth and distorted the sound of his voice. Soon, all he knew was the darkness of the lakebed. The surface receded far away. As did the light… and any hope of returning to the comforting warmth of his husband’s embrace. He couldn’t stop screaming.

:

:

:

:

:

“ _Gavin!_

_Gavin!_

_GAVIN!”_

“Jesus Christ! Shut him up before the neighbours come banging on the door!”  
“You think I haven’t been trying? Fuck!” 

Nines slipped out of Connor’s grasp and landed on the floor of his shower. His eyes snapped open on impact and he fell silent. For a moment, there was no sound other than that of the steady stream of water from the showerhead. Then as realisation of his whereabouts dawned, Nines curled in on himself and began to sob loudly against the tiled wall.

“Oh geez, son, don’t do this now. Reel it in. Come on, kid. I know you’re stronger than this. Let’s just get out of here and through the ceremony in one piece and then you can cry your heart out. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Connor and T and the baby too.”

Nines buried his face in his hands and continued to wail. His LED cast an ugly red glow in the small space. Hank sighed. 

“We have our hands full just getting him ready. Thank goodness Kamski’s taking care of everything else.” 

“Yes… a small mercy.”

A burst of rage went through Nines’ system at that seemingly harmless exchange. A reminder of just how useless and burdensome he was despite the immaculate design of the RK900 model. Not only had he been unavailable to shield the love of his life from a barrage of bullets, he was also incapable of arranging a simple memorial service for the man whose name he’d taken. Some strange, previously unknown family member had to do it. 

He ought to be sent straight to the scrapyard. 

Nines roared in fury and drove a fist into the wall beside his head. The tiles shattered.


	3. BARGAINING

“I’m glad to meet you, Nathaniel. Though, it feels like I already know you. Not because of… my work… but because he always talks about you so much… 

Nathaniel?”

“You’ll have to excuse him, Mr Kamski. It’s been a terrible shock…”

“Of course, of course. Happened barely hours ago… hardly any time to process it.”

“Is there anything I could get you to drink? Some coffee, tea?”

“I’m in Gavin’s home so I’ll have to say yes to coffee. Thank you, Officer Chen.”

“Call me Tina. How do you take yours?”

“Two cream, no sugar.”

Nines’ LED flickered yellow briefly before returning to red. 

“That’s how Gavin likes it.”

There was silence until Tina returned to the couch and set the coffee cup on the table. She had truly held down the fort during those early morning hours after the unthinkable had occurred. She had concealed her own pain and helped whenever Hank and Connor found themselves at odds… which was a lot, considering how fast news spread and the number of visitors knocking on the door of the Reed residence. 

Nines sat frozen with Sumo’s head in his lap while Tina dealt with a distraught and guilt-ridden Chris Miller, a tearful Captain Fowler and then a very disoriented android who had apparently been rescued from a recall center by Gavin on the night of the Revolution. He had wanted to express his gratitude and condolences at the earliest opportunity.

Stranger than that, however, was the appearance of Elijah Kamski on the doorstep at 8 AM. Hank and Connor jumped in alarm as the elusive founder of Cyberlife strode right into the house and took a seat opposite Nines.

“It’s unfortunate that this is how you’re learning about me. I’m certain he wanted to tell you, but I wasn’t ready for more people to know about my past.

Long story short is my father liked to get around town. Gavin grew up in our house because his mother was still in high school. It was very messy but I still think we had a great childhood together. Gavin was my best friend. He inspired some of my early ideas, actually.

We moved out as soon as I graduated. We were sixteen. Just packed our bags and came to Detroit. It was great… in the beginning. 

I was founding Cyberlife at the time and in the middle of a lot of research, so I didn’t notice when exactly he fell in with the wrong crowd. Only realized after the cops picked him up for drug-related gang activity.

I couldn’t bail him out. I mean… I had savings, but they were limited and I needed to quickly inject capital into android prototype development… and I was determined to not ask our father for help… 

Gavin spent fifteen months in a juvenile detention facility and didn’t come back to my apartment after that. He joined the Police Academy straight away. The last thing he said to me was “I may be a shitty person, but at least I’ll never choose machines over family.”

I suppose I deserved that. Decided to give him some space but then weeks turned into months and months turned into years. Both our careers took us places we never dreamed of. Both good and bad.

I gathered the courage to call him when I saw his name in the news a couple years ago. A featurette about a double wedding in the DPD. Two RK brothers marrying their human colleagues. When I say I cried at that, I’m not exaggerating. Figured he’d be open to talk to me if his attitude towards androids had changed that much... and he was. 

It was as if we picked right back up from when we were sixteen and the past twenty-something years didn’t even pass. I… had my brother back.”

Kamski paused and took a sip of the coffee. He looked around the spacious, warmly lit room and the comfortable chairs. His eyes lingered on the large wedding photograph that Gavin meticulously wiped down every weekend.

“I’m so glad he found you, Nathaniel. You’ve been so good for him.”

Nines closed his eyes as a single synthetic tear rolled down his face. Connor stood behind the couch and put a protective hand on his brother’s shoulder. Hank glowered nearby.

“Mr Kamski, as much as we appreciate all the revelations, I don’t believe you’re here to just tell stories. What is it you’re looking for? I’d advise against it if you plan on being as cryptic as you were during my deviancy investigation.”

Kamski held up his hands. 

“I don’t intend to intrude for much longer. I just have one request. 

There’s a lot I should have done for my brother… a lot that I missed out on in all these years. Birthdays, Christmases… his promotions… his bachelor party… I never got to do those things... for anyone, actually. 

If you don’t mind… if you’d indulge me… could I please take care of things… now? I promise it won’t be much. Nothing extravagant. Just a simple memorial service. I know a few old friends who’d like to pay their respects. Couple of aunts who’d been kind to us as kids. And of course, I’d imagine some police officers would like to be there as well. We could have it at my house. It’s away from the city. Spacious. Discreet. Secure. 

And as for… laying him to rest… while the decision is of course entirely Nathaniel’s to make… please excuse me for being so bold… he always said he didn’t like the idea of burial and being visited by loved ones for years to come. Said it was unhealthy to be held back by physical reminders. I think… cremation… is the way to go. If you’re comfortable with that… my labs are equipped with suitable facilities as well. We could do it privately after the service.”

There was silence. Nines kept his eyes fixed on the top of Sumo’s head. The giant dog was fast asleep. 

Tina murmured softly in Nines’ ear.

“I know it’s a lot to take in. What do you think? Are you okay with his brother helping us out?”

Nines slumped against the backrest and let himself be patted and hugged by his family.

_ RK800 #313 248 317 - 51 ‘Connor Anderson’: Nines, is that alright with you? _

_ RK900 #313 248 317 - 87 ‘Nathaniel Reed’: I guess. _

Connor nodded at Kamski and the man leapt to his feet. He seemed hugely relieved. 

“Thank you. My team is already at the hospital. I’ll let them know they can go ahead and collect him. I will see you all at my house for the service on Sunday morning.”

He was out of the door in a flash. Hank held the curtains open to watch the sleek black sports car peel out and zoom off.

“Did he once say he was sorry? Creepy nerd.”

“Did he say he had labs? At his house?”

“I could actually see a resemblance between them. Funny how these things don’t strike you unless you know…”

Nines had gotten up and thrown himself down on the bed not long after that. It had been far too painful to remain conscious, so he sought refuge in his garden and replayed comforting memories over and over in his head. The Andersons let themselves out quietly. 

They didn’t bother him over the week (Connor was likely satisfied that Nines’ system was online and that he at least read their messages)... and only attempted to revive him on the morning of the funeral. 

As he sat on his veritable nest of a bed, with Tina towel drying his hair, he wondered whether it would be possible to return to that quiet numbness. 

It had been… tolerable… to just run on autopilot all those hours. If only he could have continued being in stasis. If only his beautiful memories hadn’t been interrupted by that nightmare of an illusion which had been so enticing at first.

Tina was picking through the items of clothing that had been blown off their hangers by the wind from the open window. She sighed at the mess. As she retrieved a familiar black V-neck from the ground, tears welled in her eyes. She paused and bowed her head for a second before continuing her search for a proper outfit for Nines. 

_ >>Tough as nails, that woman. Your brother is one lucky bastard. _

He watched as Tina retrieved an elegant black suit from deeper within the closet. She laid it on the bed and embraced him tightly before walking out. 

_ >>Good choice. _

_ >>She really knows you well. _

Nines frowned at the vague system prompts that were being generated. 

_ >>Wear the donut-shaped cufflinks today. Lighten the mood a little. _

Where on earth had that thought come from? He shook his head and started to dress himself.

_ >>Also, you better clean up this gigantic mess later. Looks like a tornado hit the bedroom. And not in a good way. _

Okay. Fair. But what the hell was that internal monologue? Was he talking to himself?

There was clearly something wrong with his system. Perhaps he’d missed some important security updates and contracted a virus during his week in hibernation. It would be prudent to check on his system health… but that would mean visiting the Zen Garden again… 

He looped his tie into place. An intricate trinity knot. Gavin’s favourite. He rarely wore ties himself, but he loved to watch Nines work through the most complicated knots. 

_ >>Nice _

_ >>Look in the mirror. _

Nines did. 

_ >>Devastatingly beautiful as always. _

Okay. Time to find out exactly what was wrong. As if he hadn’t already done enough to dishonour his husband’s memory, showing up infected at the funeral and risking a public malfunction would be the icing on the cake. 

Phantoms and hallucinations be damned, 

Nines closed his eyes 

and entered 

the Zen Garden. 

:

:

:

:

:

The weather was pleasant where he stood. Warm sun… but in a strange angle. Gentle breeze… but in the opposite direction. Nines proceeded cautiously. This was definitely his garden… but it had been compromised somehow… 

He just needed to find out how and he’d be able to fix it. A matter of seconds. He was after all, the most advanced android ever designed.

“There you are!”

Nines braced himself before turning around. 

The digital entity that had taken on the appearance of his late husband was walking along the garden path.

“Don’t you look stunning. What did I do to get so lucky?”

Nines kept his distance. 

“I don’t have time for this. You’re not a memory and you said you’re not a simulation either. So you’re obviously a sentient of some kind. What are you doing in this graphic interface?”

“English, Tincan.”

“What the fuck are you doing in my garden?”

“What? Your garden?”

“Yes, my garden. This isn’t some public domain for all and sundry to picnic in.”

“This is  _ your _ garden? Your Zen Garden? Shit!”

“YES. What did you think?”

“I… thought it was Heaven…”

Nines was impressed. These cyber attacks were getting so customized… tailored for individual trauma. Engineered emotional destruction inflicted until the victim paid up. 

“Okay. That’s enough. What’s your rate?”

“What?”

“I know ransomware when I see it.”

“Stop that digital shit, baby. You know I don’t understand it at all.”

“Name your price. I don’t care how high. How much for you to leave? 

“Leave? What do you mean? Nines, I know you’re upset and you have every right to be-”

“Get the fuck out of here. You’ve got some nerve attacking a police android. I have the DPD Cybersecurity Squad on speed dial. Last chance. Get out before I call them.”

The imposter frowned and appeared to think for a while. He shrugged. 

“Call them. I’ll wait. Not like I know how to leave anyway.”

“Huh?”

“Call them. They’ll tell you I’m not a… uh… whatever you think I am.”

“You don’t know how to leave?”

“No.”

“How did you get here then?”

“I… really don’t know, babe. I’m glad to see you though. I thought… it was over, you know? When the bullets went right through me. I knew the physical part of it... of my life… was over. As for the spiritual… I always had my doubts, but I guess I kind of hoped there would be something. When I woke up and saw this… garden… and you on the bridge... I thought that’s what it was.”

Against his better judgement, Nines waited and listened. He forced himself to remember it was programmed bullshit but it felt so real. He knew he’d probably regret it, but he listened.

“Like this is literally my paradise, you know? Beautiful garden. Nobody else around. Your gorgeous face. I thought it was just cosmic make-believe. 

But then I saw the real you right after that. Just now. In the shower. I’m so sorry. For how you’re feeling. For what I’ve put you through. The one thing I was supposed to do was keep you safe and happy and I failed so badly.”

The immaculately dressed Zen-Gavin ran a hand through his hair and stepped closer. Ignoring the warning prompts popping up around him, Nines also took a step closer. He could smell the familiar cologne.

Fuck, it looked just like him. From the scar on his nose, to the light stubble on his cheeks and even his crooked smile. Even the way he carried himself and walked and stood. 

Still reeling from what had happened the last time he tried to get too close, Nines moved forward slowly until their chests were just a hair's breadth apart. The environment remained stable. 

The real Gavin would have swept him into his arms or even picked him up by now, ready to carry him bridal style into their bedroom. This version of Gavin merely stayed put. Waiting and watching with not an insignificant amount of pain in his grey eyes. 

Nines reached for his face. 

Skin met skin. 

There was no warmth. But thankfully, nothing else was amiss.

Except maybe a tiny… so tiny anyone but an adoring android would miss it… a  _ tiiiiiinyyy  _ circular scar on his right temple. 

Throwing caution to the winds, Nines kissed the man in front of him. 

The response he received was so natural, so familiar. 

The taste. Not so much. 

Metallic. Inorganic. Synthetic. Much like himself. 

Nines didn’t know what to make of it, but he decided he didn’t care. The intruder in his mind could remain. 

“Gavin.” 

“Yes, Nines?”

“Will you stay with me?”

“Always.”


	4. DEPRESSION

The rock was warm but his face wasn’t. 

The kiss was bliss but the taste was troubling. 

The man looked the same but the tiny mark on his temple was new.

It was not a memory or a virus, but something entirely different. 

Nines was in unknown territory, but not everything unknown was necessarily dangerous.

He knew that every second he allowed the mysterious presence to remain in his mind would render it more inextricable from his system… but he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

After the initial shock it was numbing, comforting, to hear familiar footsteps beside his own… to smell the old-fashioned cologne… to feel the ghost of a large hand on the small of his back… a gruff voice in his ear.

_ >>You can do this, baby.  _

That was how Nines arrived at Kamski’s house… walking on autopilot with the digital aura of Gavin hovering at his shoulder. He didn’t necessarily know where he was going but that was alright. Connor kept one hand under Nines’ elbow at all times to steer him.

The door to the mansion was uncharacteristically open. A large photograph of Gavin in his well-decorated police uniform was displayed on an easel in the entrance area. All secrets had been laid bare and the link between Gavin Reed and the Kamski family was effectively exposed for all to see. 

Nines came to a stop in front of the picture. It was one of his favourites. Against the backdrop of an American flag, Gavin was looking haughtily down his scarred nose at the photographer. Several bravery awards and distinguished service medals shone on his broad chest. 

_ >>What a pompous idiot. _

Nines suppressed an involuntary smile. 

Connor then applied a significant amount of torque to his elbow joint. Nines’ force sensors sparked in alarm and he looked around. Some of their colleagues had started to arrive and were watching sympathetically. Nines blinked a few more times and stumbled along. Hank gripped his other arm to steady him.

“You’re doing well, son.”

After a series of other pictures that Nines was more than familiar with, they came face to face with one that still made his thirium pump flutter like mad. 

Gavin was down on one knee on the Detroit riverwalk, squinting against the sun and laughing out loud. One hand reached forwards and the other maintained a dangerously loose grip on an open ring box.

Nines had captured the very instant the enigmatic detective had let go of his hand and dropped down in front of him. It was one of the happiest moments of their joint existence.

_ >>Such a beautiful day. It’s hardly ever that sunny over here. _

_ >>It was perfect. _

_ >>You’re perfect.  _

His force sensors took another hit and he let himself be manoeuvred towards the back of the expensive home. In a high-ceilinged theatrette, several androids clad in black were showing people to their seats. Fowler and his wife were already sitting in the front row. 

With a whispered word to Connor, Tina broke away from them and went to join their rather lonely receptionist, Stacy. She sat down with relief, hand fluttering over her stomach and obviously glad to be off her feet.

_ >>Is T okay? _

Nines frowned.

_ >>Tina is fine. It’s perfectly normal. _

_ >>What’s normal? _

_ >>Not wanting to stand for long. _

_ >>Why? What’s wrong with her? _

This was unprecedented. Nines had assumed the program that emulated Gavin was running in parallel to his own thought processes.

_ >>There’s nothing wrong. Usual fatigue at the end of the first trimester. _

_ >>What??? She’s pregnant? Wow! _

_ >>Yes. I learnt of it this morning. Was it not within my data archives? _

_ >>Oh my goodness! T! I wish I could congratulate her. _

_ >>How did you not know? _

_ >>How could I?  _

Nines found himself positioned between his father and brother at the entrance as more people began to stream into the theatrette. They grasped his hands and murmured their condolences. He knew some faces by heart and had to use his recognition software for others. For all of Gavin’s abrasiveness, a lot of people were clearly very sorry to have seen the last of him. A ghostly chuckle echoed through Nines’ head at this thought.

_ >>Yeah, I didn’t think this many would show. I would have also never dreamed that Hank Anderson and his plastic sons would be the family I leave behind.  _

_ >>You also have Tina. And your brother.  _

_ >>Wait. You know about my brother? _

_ >>How do you think we all ended up at his house this morning?  _

There was no system prompt in response to that. Nines grew a little uneasy again. The entity definitely had access to his entire system architecture if it could stroll around his garden and look through his optical units at their surroundings. Did it really not have access to his memory files? Or was the ignorance feigned as part of some continued ploy? 

A pair of older women began making their way towards them. Hank and Connor turned to Nines to see if he recognised the two. He didn’t. 

The Detroit City database yielded no results. In the few seconds it took for the state-wide search results to load, a system prompt appeared. 

_ >>Holy shit! Carolyn and Gemma! Oh my god, I haven’t seen these two in a whole century! Nines! Baby! These are my dad’s sisters!  _

Nines froze as his actual facial recognition results appeared half a second later. 

_ >>[Citizenry Records Department | Office of the Governor of the STATE OF MICHIGAN]  _

_ >>[City of Ann Arbor] _

_ >>Carolyn Elodie Kamski. Teacher. Age: 61 _

_ >>Gemma Noelle Kamski-Rosenthal. Homemaker. Age: 59 _

That was terrifying. It meant that somewhere, remotely, the entity had its own computing capacity. A clear upper hand even if its ulterior motive remained a mystery. It was a bad idea to have let it stay. Dammit. He should have told Connor. 

“Nathaniel?”

Nines took a breath and unfroze. He forced himself to focus on the women peering up at him. 

“What a beautiful man our Gavin went and found himself!”

“Yes… if you’d seen him and his brother and all the other little scamps running around the neighbourhood you’d never guess any of them would settle down and find such nice partners.”

“It’s a shame we didn’t know he mellowed so much. Got married to an android and all. We could have come to the wedding! Not like we live far. A real shame, Nathaniel, that we didn’t get to meet your fine family before... this.”

“It’s been a long time, Gem. Hard to get back in touch after you’ve been out of it forever. And the Kamski boys have always played hard to get.”

“Yeah, it is what it is. Nathaniel, we truly are sorry for your loss. We loved Gavin ourselves. Let us know if there’s anything at all we can do. We brought some of his childhood pictures and things. They’re in our car if you’d like them.”

Patting Nines’ forearm, Gavin’s aunts took off and found their seats. They were some of the last guests to do so. 

_ >>Shit, babe. My aunts. I thought they’d be upset with me and Eli. The whole family was when we left. They didn’t understand why he couldn’t build Cyberlife in Ann Arbor. Not like Detroit was some thriving metropolis anyway. Everyone thought I was the bad influence. Making the prodigal son move away…  _

Nines didn’t respond. Where the hell were these added data points coming from?? 

He didn’t have time to dwell on things further. It was time to sit down. Connor grasped his hand and led him into the aisles. It would have looked rather rough and unpleasant to bystanders, but the force was exactly what he needed. Nines’ skin automatically peeled back at the point of contact.

_ RK800 #313 248 317 - 51 ‘Connor Anderson’: You’re doing fine. Keep it up. It’ll be over soon. _

_ RK900 #313 248 317 - 87 ‘Nathaniel Reed’: Con, I think I’m in trouble. I need your help.  _

Nines was pushed into a front row seat beside Tina. Connor sat down on his other side. His face was outwardly emanating a quiet determination, but Nines sensed the panic through the interface.

_ RK800 #313 248 317 - 51 ‘Connor Anderson’: What trouble? _

_ RK900 #313 248 317 - 87 ‘Nathaniel Reed’: There’s someone in my Garden.  _

Connor dropped his hand as if he’d been burned and turned to look at him in alarm. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Hank cleared his throat from where he sat with the Fowlers. Connor dropped his voice.

“I keep telling you not to miss updates. There’s a reason they release security patches, you idiot.”

“It’s not a virus.”

“Okay, smartass. How do you know that? Actually, never mind. Can you keep it together until we get home? Your LED looks like it can stop traffic. People are staring.”

“I’m scared.”

Connor exhaled sharply and sat back. Tina put a comforting hand on Nines’ thigh as a robed figure strode in front of the assembly.

A wireless message popped into view. 

_ RK800 #313 248 317 - 51 ‘Connor Anderson’: I can’t do anything for you now without compromising the both of us. You’ll be fine. You’re not being taken over. You were built to withstand every force in nature. Material or digital. I promise you’ll be fine. It’s probably just the stress making you imagine things.  _

_ The service will start soon and I implore you to keep your bullshit to yourself just this once, Nines. It is NOT about you today.  _

_ Your husband was my friend too. Tina’s friend. The heart and soul of our Central Station. Gavin was as good as another son to our father. And I’ll be damned if I let you start something during his funeral.” _

Nines nodded quietly. He didn’t dare to press further. He wasn’t that much younger than Connor, but he was pretty much his baby brother. People often joked that Connor breaking into the Cyberlife warehouse a few months after the Revolution and taking Nines home to Hank was akin to children asking for a younger sibling.

He willed his thirium pump contractions to slow down and his breathing to even out. Connor’s words had helped. He could do this. 

The solemn-looking minister took to the podium and waved a hand behind him. Dark curtains slid open to reveal a sleek black casket on a wooden stage. Gavin lay within. He looked infinitely better than the condition Nines had last seen him in at the hospital. Perhaps this sight of him in apparent slumber could overwrite that horror etched in Nines’ mind. 

_ >>Oh that is so strange… that is so phcking strange… that is my body. Wow, Nines. I… wow… I really am dead, huh? Jesus phcking Christ! I can’t… I can’t… this is the weirdest… oh GOD, I think I’m going to be sick. Is that even possible? SHIT. Nines? Talk to me! Ohgodohgodohgod!  _

Nines ignored the rest of it. He had his own trauma. He didn’t need it compounded by some idiot thrashing around in his mind-garden.

The minister began to speak. Nines heard the words but didn’t really listen. Distracting himself from Zen-Gavin’s freak-out and the real Gavin’s face, he let his attention wander to his surroundings. 

Tina’s hand was still gripping his thigh. The baby’s heartbeat was normal. Mrs Fowler had changed her hairstyle recently. Chris Miller looked like a wreck. (A large, selfish part of Nines decided that he deserved to live with the guilt for the rest of his life.) Hank’s shirt was monochrome for the first time in years. Aunt Carolyn had the same repetitive foot tapping tick that Gavin did.

_ >>Goddammit Nines! You’ve got to get me out of here. I don’t want to see it. Is this hell? Is this purgatory? Why do I have to watch? WHY AM I HERE? Is this really happening? I don’t want to watch my own funeral. I don’t want to see anyone cry for me. Please! _

As per Nines’ heat vision, there was a man behind the curtains. Talking to an android, possibly a ST200? Who were they and why were they acting so suspiciously? 

The android detective closed his eyes and internally turned the optical units around 360 degrees to scan the room. Everyone they had previously encountered was seated, but despite it being his own mansion… Kamski himself was not. 

Nines re-tuned his audio processors to hear the conversation behind the curtain. 

“... almost there, Eli. The software transfer is complete. Just a question of timing now.” 

“Thanks, Chlo. When did his system go live?” 

“Just earlier this morning. You said you didn’t want to do it too early and leave him in confusion for too long. You know, before we’re ready to activate the unit itself.” 

“Yes. We can only do that after all this is over.” 

“The funeral, you mean?”

“Yeah, that and the cremation. We need to ensure a proper close to his organic life first. Plus, I don’t want to risk him seeing himself.”

“Er…” 

“What?” 

“He probably already has…”

“Chlo…” 

“What? I told you I didn’t want to put him in isolation. That shit is scary even for androids.”

“Chloe, I swear to God. What did you do?” 

“I put him in his husband’s Zen Garden. Thought it would be a nice place to start. He’s probably going to spend most of his time in stasis over there anyway.” 

_ “Fucking hell,  _ Chlo… you’d have been better off putting him with Connor first. That Nathaniel RK900 is very sweet but he can’t even handle himself properly! The two of them must be disoriented as fuck! I love you, babe, but sometimes you can do some really stupid shit.”   
“Oh, are you referring to yourself? Come on, asshole. If it’s really as bad as you say, then we need to go now.” 

The two of them set off at top speed and Nines lost audio. He had heard enough though, and the implications of that conversation were nigh impossible. He didn’t dare process it further and give himself and his mental companion a complete breakdown.

He watched silently as Connor stood up and walked to the podium. Though his face remained impassive, his brother’s LED cycled through amber and red the entire time he spoke.

Hank spoke next. Very briefly, but the pain and loss he felt was crystal clear. Then quite a few others from the DPD were invited up. Chris tried to speak but couldn’t. Fowler broke down in the middle of his speech. Again, Nines heard all the words, but didn’t really listen. He was engulfed by an anguish that was not entirely his own. 

_ >>Nines, I can’t take this. I’ve let everyone down. I left them just when they were beginning to trust and depend on me. I didn’t think being gone would hurt so many people. This is worse than actually dying. I wish I’d started being a decent human being way earlier. I could have had so much more time with everyone. What the hell was my problem? God, I wish I’d married you sooner too. I wish I listened to you more. I’m so, so sorry. _

As he watched Tina stand up carefully and make her way to the front of the room, Nines concentrated on building up a pool of calm energy within himself. 

_ >>Sweetheart, I’m not entirely sure what’s going on, or why you’re here with me. I think your megalomaniac brother has something to do with it. At any rate, I’m kind of glad you’re getting the chance to hear people talk about how much you meant to them. Wish I’d told you how I felt about you more, actually. Ever since the storm clouds parted, you’ve been an absolute ray of sunshine. A fucking angel. You should know that.  _

It wasn’t long before Tina was back, wiping her eyes on a piece of tissue, and helping him up.

“Now, we would like to call upon Nathaniel Reed to deliver the eulogy to his late husband. No amount of words will ever be enough to capture even the essence of a love so powerful, but we humbly request that you share a few with us. Nathaniel, please.” 

Nines got up, nodding to reassure his father and brother, and stood at the podium beside the casket. The crowd stared at him expectantly. It wasn’t hostile, but only natural. 

_ >>You did wear the donut cufflinks after all, huh?  _

He didn’t think it was physically possible for androids, but his mouth went dry. It was impossible to actuate his vocal units. Not that he knew what to say anyway.

_ >>Hey, babe. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to… I know how you feel. It doesn’t matter if others hear it or not.  _

Several moments passed. Connor looked ready to spring from his seat to come and get him.

_ >>Tincan, really, it’s fine. I don’t want you to say goodbye to me yet… because this isn’t goodbye. I’m not sure why, but I know it isn’t. _

No. Ineffectual silence on his part was not how this ceremony was going to end, regardless of what might come after it. Nines unnecessarily cleared his throat and opened his mouth to begin. 

He promptly lost all visual input. 

_ >>ERROR_VISION SYSTEMS _

_ >>Troubleshooting _

_ >>Accessing SYSTEM FILES_PERIPHERALS_OPTICAL UNITS _

_ >>ERROR_ACCESS DENIED _

_ >>Accessing SYSTEM FILES _

_ >>ERROR_ACCESS DENIED _

“Shit. Hold him.  _ Hold him!!” _

“What the f—” 

Nines went down like a ton of bricks despite Hank and Connor’s best efforts. The only man who could carry or move the RK900 against his will had been Gavin. And that had had little to do with physical strength. 

Not bothering to fight the fog that enveloped him, Nines succumbed and followed the oddly comforting sound of his husband’s raised voice. 

In the distance

somewhere in the Garden

Gavin was berating someone. 

:

:

:

:

:

“What the phck is going on here, blondie? You better give it to me straight.”

“You just overrode his command centre!”

“Speak phckin’ English!” 

“You’re as bad as Eli when someone is trying to help. Stay still. Stop trying to move.”

“I’m not doing anything! What’s wrong with Nines?

Oh Nines! Thank God!” 

Gavin attempted to sidestep Chloe and walk towards him, but she stopped him with a firm hand to his chest. She somehow managed to keep him in place while preoccupied with a tablet she was holding in her other hand.

“Asshole! Listen. You will only cause him further discomfort if you struggle like this. He’s fine. Just stop moving. We downloaded and installed your software but your own android unit is not yet active. Give me  _ literally  _ one minute though and it will be.” 

“My what?” 

She ignored him in favour of punching several alphanumeric characters of activation code into her tablet. A few seconds later she glanced up cooly. 

“Welcome to the club, GV200.”

Gavin turned to Nines in shock. He managed a weak smile.


End file.
